


Together to Wherever, Baby

by robotrolecall



Category: Rayman, Rayman (Video Games)
Genre: Abuse, Affection, Angst, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Coming Out, Emetophobia, Eventual Romance, Friendship, Healthy Relationships, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Abuse, M/M, Self-Discovery, Slow Burn, Therapy
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-06-19
Updated: 2018-04-29
Packaged: 2018-11-16 01:59:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 13
Words: 10,058
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11243988
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/robotrolecall/pseuds/robotrolecall
Summary: As Raymesis' romantic feelings toward Rayman grows, so does his suppression of those feelings. As a result of how he was raised, feelings such as love and affection terrify him. Will Raymesis no longer be afraid of his feelings and become more open?





	1. Call to Adventure

**Author's Note:**

> Hoo, finally got my AO3 invitation! The first nine chapters were already written, so chapter 10 and forward will be updated as frequently as possible.

     It was a tranquil day in the Enchanted Forest. A limbless humanoid lay silent, sleeping beneath a shady, emerald tree. Beside the individual was a blue amphibian creature, resting his hands on his pale yellow belly with his eyes locked onto the sky, observing the tree branches rustling with life. Suddenly, the amphibian heard familiar footsteps.

     "Rayman! Rayman, _wake up_!" The amphibian nudged his snoozing friend but was unable to wake him up. "Rayman!" The creature nudged harder.

     "Ugh, what now Globox? Can't you see I'm trying to get some sleep?" his friend said groggily, wiping the drool from his lip.

     "Too bad! You gotta get up, Barbara's here!" Globox yelled.

     "Jeez, you don't have to be so loud—wait, did you say Barbara's here? Aww, hell yeah! I've been meaning to go out adventuring with her!" Rayman suddenly jumped up, raising his fist in confidence.

     "Finally woke up, huh?" a curly-haired redhead hollered. 

     She wore a strapless green crop top with a matching skirt and leggings, a winged Viking-style helmet, beige fur boots, and a belt with a skull in the middle of it. She had a toothy grin plastered on her face, revealing a missing tooth. Across her face was a scar, most likely from a wild battle long, long ago.

     "C'mon Barbara, I was just making sure I wouldn't pass out later!" Rayman laughed.

     The warrior chuckled, fluffing up her older friend's hair. "Where do you wanna go? It's your choice, _blondie_." Barbara joked.

     "H-hey now, don't call me 'blondie!'" Rayman blushed. "But, I'd like to check out the Dark Dungeon."

     "Awesome! I heard from the Teensies that there's treasure. Let's go!" Barbara jeered. "Barbara, wait! You got a weapon?" Rayman asked. Barbara nodded.

     To the left of her was her weapon of choice, a battle axe. Her axe was just as powerful as Rayman’s fists. One key moment her axe was used was when she was cornered by a massive fire-breathing dragon, using it to blind the dragon’s eyes in order to escape. Ever since then, she kept her weapon by her side in case an enemy attacked. She firmly gripped the sharp axe and lifted it up.

     "Alright!"

     The two friends ran deeper and deeper into the Enchanted Forest, their feet crunching the leaves and twigs that had fallen below.

     "Have fun!" Globox called out. The glute propped himself back underneath the tree, observing the canopy with content.


	2. The Dark Dungeon

     The two friends blazed through the leafy forest, with fresh air blowing in their faces. The clanging metal of Barbara's shoes was a juxtaposition to Rayman's light, airy steps. The trees and bushes gradually became denser and less artificially regulated. Bugs were crawling, buzzing, and flying through the air. Barbara ferociously sliced the vegetation with her axe to broaden the trail.

     "Try not to get a bug caught in your teeth!" Rayman joked to Barbara.

     Barbara snorted. "Eh, I'm used to it already." Her run slowed down to a walk.

     Rayman suddenly stopped in his tracks. "Why'd you slow down?"

     "We're at the entrance to the Dark Dungeon!" Barbara pointed with her left hand. The entrance was made of weathered stones. Every now and then, spiders would emerge and crawl in and out of the cracks. Vines protruded out of the cracked cobblestone, wrapping the floors and walls.

     “I remember being in here like it was yesterday,” Rayman recalled, placing his hands on his hips. He reminisced on jabbing Livingstones, a group of bandits that kidnapped the Teensies, within the dungeon, rescuing the tiny bodyguards of the Glade. He anxiously tapped his foot, longing to know if there were any enemies left in the dungeon to surprise the heroes.

     “Me too. _Maaaan_ , do you remember when I cut a rope that held a platform where Livingstones were standing on, causing them to fall into a pit of spikes?” Barbara jeered.

     “Or when I punched a Livingstone _so_ hard he slammed into a wall, flattening like a pancake?” Rayman said excitedly, his voice’s pitch rising. The two friends both dissolved into laughter, exchanging high fives.

     “Let's go in already! I can’t wait any longer." Rayman quickly ran into the eerie entrance.

     "Hey, wait for me!" Barbara eventually followed. As the adventurous duo went deeper and deeper into the Dark Dungeon, their strides became inaudible from the entrance and beyond.

 


	3. Flashback

     Meanwhile, a limbless figure walked slowly, as if they didn't want to be heard, to the tree where Globox was relaxing under. They walked lightly, making sure they did not step on a brittle twig, which would disturb the silent forest. The figure had violet-blue hair, light purple skin, and amber colored eyes which lacked pupils or irises. They lived in the Land of the Livid Dead and was conceived by Mr. Dark, Rayman’s enemy which he defeated long, long ago. Their original purpose?  
  
     To ruin Rayman's reputation.  
  
     They looked just like him, but only with a different color scheme. Conditioned by Mr. Dark, they were violent and broke things. They were raised to love no one or nothing at all, for in the eyes of their caretaker, loving something or someone was a weakness. They lived in isolation until being ordered to track down Rayman. As the figure walked, they pondered deeply about the last time they saw Mr. Dark.

_"_ _What? You didn't defeat Rayman?" A loud voice caused the figure's ears to ring. They stood in front of the shadowy cloaked villain, trembling in fear._

_"I-I'm sorry... I couldn't hurt him. I—I didn't want to hurt him." They said._

_Mr. Dark stared in disbelief, his bright yellow eyes glaring. "You didn't want to hurt him._ You _didn't want to hurt him._ Why the hell did you not want to hurt him _?" Mr. Dark yelled again._

_The terrified Rayman lookalike lowered their head in shame. They took a deep breath, and finally said, in the softest of voices,_  
_  
_   _"I don't want to hurt people. I don't want to hurt anyone. I don't like it. I don't want to be evil. The only reason why I exist is so you can use me to hurt Rayman and other people in the Glade of Dreams." They raised their head and chest up, feeling confidence in standing up to their abusive caretaker. "I am so much more than that! I am so much more than your puppet! I don't want to fight anymore. I can't..."_

_Mr. Dark scoffed, lifting his chin up._ _  
__  
__"Pathetic." He spat._ _  
__  
_ _The confidence the Rayman doppelgänger had was shattered. They felt tears welling up in their eyes. They sunk to the floor, covering their face._

_"I'm sorry... I'm sorry, Dad."_

_Mr. Dark lowered himself to their height and put his hand on their shoulder._

_"Raymesis," he said in a monotone voice. They looked up, tears trickling down their eyes._

      

     "You're not my son. And I am not your father." 

_At that very moment, Raymesis' heart dropped._

_"N-no... no!" He sobbed._

_Suddenly, a large door opened, echoing in the tense room. A silhouette of Raymesis appeared, but it wasn't him. It was Rayman._

_"_ Shit! _" Mr. Dark howled. He shoved Raymesis, causing him to fall to the floor once again._

_"Where are you—"_

_"Get out of here! You're no longer of use anymore."_

_Raymesis picked himself up, and attempted to speak up, but sunk again. He couldn't help but stare at Mr. Dark, his father figure. His tears were a waterfall, with no plan to cease._

_"Well? What are you looking at? Can't you see I'm busy? Go away._

      I don't need you anymore. _"_

_Raymesis turned away, walking slowly to the stairwell, exiting Mr. Dark's lair once and for all._

 Raymesis was so lost in his thoughts he nearly tripped over Globox.

     "Oof—sorry Globox!" He said, scratching his head.

     "Oh, hi Raymesis!" The amphibian said happily. "How are you?"

     "I'm okay. It just gets kinda boring down in the Dead, that's all. I kinda wanna live up here, but I don't know where."

     "I think you can talk to Rayman and Barbara to see if you can live with them! I don't think you'd be able to handle over six-hundred fifty children if you lived with me." Globox laughed.

     Raymesis' eyes widened. "You're a father? I've known you for _years_ and you just told me this? Six-hundred fifty kids, that’s insane..." He wiped sweat from his brow.

     "Oops." Globox murmured in embarrassment.

 

     "Did you hear what I said about Rayman and Barbara?"

 

     "Rayman?" Raymesis asked, bewildered. His face became flushed.

     "Yeah! You can ask him if you can live with him and Barbara. I'm sure he'd say yes."

Raymesis, caught in a daze, blinked absentmindedly.

     "Why are you blushing? Do you like him?" Raymesis quickly turned his head to Globox.

     "Wh-What? N-no! Not at all." Raymesis nervously twisted his hair around his finger. _To be fair,_ he thought. _I honestly don't know how I feel in terms of him..._

     "Hm. Well, you just missed him. He's at the Dark Dungeon with Barbara."

     “Really? The Dark Dungeon? That place is _whack._ I’ll show ‘em a good place to find treasures and to adventure.” He said with a mischievous grin. “Later, Globox!” He said, making a run down the trail of footprints made by Rayman and Barbara.

 

     “Bye, Raymesis! Be careful!”


	4. The Encounter

     Raymesis, while jogging through the green, remembered his first real interaction with Rayman.

       _He was resting in his dungeon-like room, tapping the floor with his fingers. Alarmingly, he materialized out of thin air, and into a world full of candy._

_“W-what? Where am I?” he asked._

_“You’re in the Candy Chateau. It is your duty to find Rayman and chase him._

     Defeat him.” _Mr. Dark ordered._

_This, of course, would take a while. Rayman would have to surf atop a slope of whipped cream on a pan, hopping over bubbling lemonade while simultaneously avoiding barbed pieces of caramel that would impale him._

_“You must wait here until he arrives. When he does, chase him! Corner him._ Command him to submit to my power! _” Mr. Dark called out._

_Raymesis nodded slowly and watched the tyrant disappear back to his quarters. He waited restlessly, resting his back against a glutinous wall of nougat. He heaved a heavy sigh. His eyelids began to grow heavy, and soon he dozed off. An hour and a half later, someone jumped off a high plane, landing perfectly onto the ground of whipped dairy. Raymesis was startled. He looked to the right of the wall._

_Nothing._

_He then looked to the left. There they were, the Limbless that Mr. Dark spoke of as if their name was a curse._

_It was Rayman, looking around the world of danger to find a path to take._

_Raymesis silently walked to the left, advancing behind Mr. Dark’s rival. As he vigilantly walked closer and closer to Rayman, he suddenly stepped on a piece of chocolate. It loudly snapped in half, echoing. Raymesis cursed under his breath. Rayman turned his head and made eye contact with him. Raymesis gasped, taking a step back in fear._

_“Oh, hey!” Rayman spoke, smiling. Raymesis began to perspire, his eyes jolting in every direction other than in front of Rayman._

_“...Hi.”_

_“Looking for someone?” the Limbless asked._

_Something about Rayman made Raymesis feel like his goal was wrong. He didn’t seem evil at all. Could Mr. Dark have been the evil one this whole time?_

_“I… uh…” Raymesis stammered. He felt his body go into fight-or-flight mode. He took more steps back._

_“N-no.”_

_Rayman nodded. “Well, I gotta get going. I have some important affairs to tend to.” He began to walk away. “Maybe I’ll see you again soon!”_

_Raymesis gazed, bug-eyed. He let Rayman go. He now had to deal with his creator’s rage and disappointment of his own failure. He slowly walked to a puddle of lemonade and observed his reflection. He looked miserable. He had bags under his eyes and a resting frown._

     I don’t want a life of evil, _he thought._ I never did.

 

     This isn’t the life I want.

 

 

 

 


	5. "Are you okay?"

Raymesis stopped in front of the entrance of the Dark Dungeon. He remembered what happened after Mr. Dark kicked him out.

       _He ran as fast as he could, his feet sticking to the frosting drenched floor. He felt acid running up his throat. This is what he went through to ‘fight’ Rayman only a few hours ago. This place sickened him. Hypothetically following Rayman through this land of confectionery and cornering him was his only reason for existing. Nothing more, nothing less._

_He was nothing but a burden._

_His body grew more tired, weaker. He collapsed to the floor, gasping, wailing. He was alone. He cried loudly, his voice echoing out to a world where no one could hear. He heard the faint sloshing of frosting and gasped. His adrenaline began to rush through his veins. The sounds became more and more audible. Raymesis curled up into a fetal position, covering his eyes like a child afraid of a monster in a children’s animated movie._

_“P-please…” he begged. “Don’t hurt me.”_

_The silhouette of Rayman loomed over him. “Hey. I’ve seen you around here. Earlier, actually. Are you okay?” He knelt down, putting his hand on Raymesis’ back._

_Raymesis, slightly shaking, slowly turned his head. There were tears, some beginning to dry on his cheeks, still flowing. He shyly wiped his face. He shook his head. He wasn’t okay. Not at all._

_Rayman frowned. “This world has been crazy. But things should be okay now.” He helped Raymesis get up, taking his hand._

_At that very moment, he felt at ease. Something about how he delicately grabbed his hand felt reassuring._

_“Do you have any place to go?”_

_Raymesis breathed deeply. “...I don’t.”_

_“Hmm… Come with me. I can take you to Polokus the Bubble Dreamer. It’ll take some time to get there though. Do you think you’ll be able to walk more?” Rayman asked._

_“I think so.”_

_Rayman briskly nodded. He walked in front of him, leading the way. He noticed Raymesis wasn’t following. The hero turned around, smiling lightly._

_“Well, what’re you waiting for? By the way, my name’s Rayman. What’s yours?” Raymesis shook his head, snapping himself out of his confusion, and quickly caught up to his newly made friend._

_“Raymesis.” he responded._

     

     That was over a hundred years ago. After meeting Rayman, he was introduced to Polokus. He was mocked by him, although it wasn’t with offensive intent. He knew that he was created by Mr. Dark. He and Rayman knew he wasn’t evil and was not a burden. Soon after that, he was introduced to Globox, who welcomed him with open arms. They met Barbara immediately after the Hundred Year Snooze, when Ales Mansay, The Magician, wreaked havoc once again.

     Raymesis was introduced to the Grand Minimus, one of the many Teensy kings, and the Teensies, who served as the protectors of the Glade of Dreams. They were skeptical of him at first, but soon gained his trust. Polokus told Raymesis he could reside in the Land of the Livid Dead, but Rayman offered for Raymesis to live with him. Raymesis nervously declined, afraid of being a bother or weighing him down. He no longer lived in isolation and in an abusive environment, but still kept to himself, suppressing his trauma.

     While walking, he shifted gears and thought about spending time with Rayman, doing activities such as swimming and napping. He pictured himself happily embracing his friend, holding him tightly. He also thought about him and Rayman sitting in a room silently reading, relishing in one another’s presence. Raymesis’ feelings of emptiness were now feelings of warmth but soon became feelings of repulsiveness. _I don’t like these feelings. If I get close to anyone, I’ll be hurt. Or I’ll hurt someone._ _Taken advantage of._ He remembered Mr. Dark’s words.

_“Love is such a useless feeling! Love leaves you open to be manipulated by people that have made you believe that they could be trusted. All they want is to make you feel safe, until they rip the blanket from underneath, taking you by surprise when they suddenly leave you in the dust.”_

     Raymesis closed his eyes. _I must be flustered or infatuated,_ he thought.  _It could be my hormones! I don’t have any feelings for Rayman, let alone men._ He walked to the Dark Dungeon entrance in silence.


	6. Roommates?

* * *

     “Ugh! Are you _kidding_ me? There’s nothing in here but stones and fool’s gold.” Barbara whined, dragging her axe on the cold, hard flooring. “Who the hell said there was treasure in here?”

     “Who else?” Rayman responded sarcastically.

     Barbara slapped her hand to her forehead. “You mean the _Grand Minimus_ , out of all people, did? He hasn’t even been down to the Dark Dungeon at all!”

     In frustration, Rayman curled up his fists. “Yeah, I know. But that was the Grand Minimus that rules the forest areas. He doesn’t know the medieval areas as well as the Grand Minimus that rules there. I do think Raymesis knows some other places. He’s always exploring.”

      Barbara slowly nodded in agreement.

 

     “Hey, _bozo_!” A familiar voice echoed down the corridor.

 

     “Raymesis!” Rayman exclaimed happily. Raymesis quickly ran down, hugging his orange-haired friend. He hugged him for at least five seconds. During those seconds, Raymesis felt the same warm feeling when he thought about spending time with Rayman.

 _No!_ He yelped internally. Timorously, he let go and turned around.

     “Huh?” Rayman was confused.

 _Did he like it?_ Raymesis thought. “Sorry, I…” He began to sweat nervously. Rayman raised a brow in confusion, along with Barbara, who saw no issue in their interaction. “I’m… I’m getting over a cold!” Raymesis proceeded to fake cough.

     “You should go back home then,” Rayman advised.

     “N-no! I’ll be fine. I came here to ask you and Barbara something.”

     “Hm?” The two friends said in unison.

     “Life in the Land of the Livid Dead has been pretty mundane. I don’t really have many things to do, or people to talk to. And with you guys living above, I’ll be able to spend time with the both of you and Globox more often. What I’m trying to say is… Can I live with you two? There’s plenty of space in the treehouse and I don’t have many belongings. And if I have to I’ll pay rent.” Raymesis blinked nervously.

     “How could we say no? You’re our friend, of course you can live with us!” Rayman jeered.

     “Just don’t make a mess and clean after yourself. And why would anyone pay rent here?” Barbara queried.

     Raymesis shrugged. “Thanks, guys. You have no idea how much it means to me.” Raymesis breathed.

     “It’s no problem. Barbara and I have to tidy up the extra room, so will you be able to move in a week?” asked Rayman.

     “Mhm. I can manage until then.” _I hope._

     “Also, do you know of any good places to adventure? The Dark Dungeon has absolutely _nothing_ in it.” Barbara mumbled.

     “You can always check out the Submarine Hangar. I can’t show you right now, though. I’m pretty sure it’s sundown.” Raymesis advised.

     “Alright! Let’s go back home.” Rayman said, leading Raymesis and Barbara out of the empty, ominous ruins.

 


	7. Awakening

     Raymesis lay in his bed, tossing and turning. The moonlight peaked through the holes of the tattered curtains, bringing a minuscule amount of light into his bedroom. His house was small and old, with creaky wooden boards and a vague smell of musk. He was the only relatively young person living in the Land of the Livid Dead. The other inhabitants were old, hearing impaired grannies and grandpappies made up of skin and bone. They hated loud noises and always wanted peace and quiet. Thankfully, Raymesis lived very far from where the citizens of the Dead resided.

     Raymesis groaned. “Why didn’t I accept Rayman’s offer to live with him all those years ago?” he said to himself glumly. He turned on the bedside lamp and got up, walking to his art room. In his free time, Raymesis painted and saw it as a way of coping with loneliness. He skimmed his eyes around his finished works. His anxiety suddenly spiked.

 

The paintings he had done involved men.

 

     There were paintings consisting of two men of Raymesis’ species, the Limbless. The men he painted were depicted doing day to day activities, but each painting showed that the men were in a relationship. One painting they were walking through a castle, holding hands. Another painting had the two men sharing a bubbly drink. A completely separate painting was a nude Limbless. There were figure paintings of other nude Limblesses.

_Did I subconsciously paint all of this?_ he thought. Raymesis began to breathe heavily. _The only thing that makes me happy, now makes me feel extreme guilt. I feel like I’m going to vomit._ Mr. Dark’s scolding blared in his ears.

 

_“Why do you waste your time on drawing? You’re supposed to be training to defeat Rayman. This filth you draw is worth nothing! It won’t amount to anything! Get off of your lazy ass and_ train! _”_

      

     Raymesis gasped. He realized what those paintings meant, and why he painted them. He realized why it calmed him down. He realized _why_ the paintings had implied romance. He gagged, feeling bile burning his throat. He quickly ran to the toilet and puked. The only thing that came out was water and stomach acid. “I can’t do this. I can’t. I don’t _want_ this!” He gasped, still hyperventilating. He dry heaved, staggering to get up from kneeling on the frigid tile floor.

       _“I didn’t choose to be like this.”_

      He suddenly felt rage flowing through his veins, stinging his stomach, heightening his nausea and stress. He wiped the puke from his mouth and got up, staggering with each heavy step. He went to the painting of the nude Limbless and stared at it. He looked at his fist and balled it up. He slammed it into the painting, releasing a loud scream of anger. He punched the painting a second time and shouted louder. He struck it a third and final time. While panting, he tried to yowl again, but all that came out was a sob.

     He looked at the destroyed work of art. Once was a beautiful, monochromatic painting, which had precise detail in the shading of the body and thin, individually stranded hair, was now unrecognizable. Distraught, Raymesis looked at his fist. It was black and blue from bruising, raw and sore from pain. Hot, fat tears streamed from his eyes. He gasped convulsively, burying his face in his hands. He slipped his hands through his hair, slicking it back. “I can’t stay here any longer.” He sniffed.

 

_“I have to leave.”_


	8. The Search Begins

     It was a partly cloudy, quiet afternoon. The wind was seemingly absent in the forest and was generally silent, as if the wildlife was avoiding a singular predator. A small, green insect flew frantically through the tropical trees. They had a large mouth fitted with large, white teeth and long, green robes with carrot orange at the base and on the sleeves. Their wings fluttered as fast as a hummingbird’s, with every wing beat propelling them further. This greenbottle, a type of insect found in the Glade, was Rayman’s friend and helper, using his magic to move large levers and to distract the enemies he faced.

     “Aw, man.” They muttered underneath their breath.

     “This is bad, _reaaal_ bad!” They flew faster, almost crashing into a tree trunk on the way to their destination: Rayman and Barbara’s treehouse.

     Meanwhile, Rayman, Globox, and Barbara were conversing on ways to effectively clean out the extra room where Raymesis would be sleeping in.

     “Maybe we should put it in a storage space?” Rayman suggested.

     “A _storage_ space? The things will just collect dust! And storage complexes are a waste of land.” Barbara said distastefully.

     “Pssh, it’s not like _your_ ideas are any better. What do you have?” Rayman retorted.

     Barbara hesitated, putting her hand on her chin. Rayman squinted, staring her down. She started to sweat, warily eying her surroundings as if some idea was on a leaf.

     “I have an idea!” She interjected.

     “What if we dug a hole and put all the crap in the extra room in it?” She looked back and forth, waiting for her friends’ approval, an awkward smile plastered on her face.

     “A landfill?” “A _landfill?_ ” A chortle rose from Rayman’s throat. “That’s just as harmful as some stupid ass storage complex!”

     Barbara rolled her eyes. “Very funny, Ray.”

     Globox suddenly went between the two quarreling friends, sternly saying “Don’t start fighting over this!” He timidly sunk back to where he was right after Rayman and Barbara turned their heads.   

     “How about we keep the things we need, and give the things we don’t need to the Teensies or the Grand Minimus? Those Teensies will use just about anything, especially in ways you wouldn’t think.”

     There was a ten second moment of silence.

 

     “Yeah. Let’s do that.” Rayman and Barbara said together.

 

     “Alright then! We should get sta—” Globox was suddenly interrupted by Rayman flinging his hand to his mouth.

     “Guys.” He said humorlessly. “Did you hear that?” A vague buzzing noise similar to that of a fly filled the air.

     “Is that…?” Barbara’s voice trailed off.

     The buzzing intensified to a drone and the fairy-like insect bust in panting heavily.

     “Murfy?” Rayman, Barbara, and Globox exclaimed.

     “Rayman! Globox!” Murfy said while catching his breath. “Barbara! I got some bad news. You’re _not_ gonna like it.”

     “Well, what is it?” asked Globox.

     

  _“Raymesis is missing!”_

Rayman squinted. “We already know he travels a lot, Murfy. Don't try and pull some silly prank on us!”

     “Why the hell would I joke about someone going missing?” He placed his hands on his temples. “Just, let me continue, okay?”

     Rayman rolled his eyes.

     “Someone down in the Dead noticed Raymesis running off very late at night. This wouldn't be a concern if he _didn't look incredibly depressed!”_ Murfy raised his voice.

     The three friends peered at Murfy in silence.

     “That's… that's really out of the blue for him.” Rayman began. “He's always out traveling, but he never looked upset!” He scratched his head, turning his face away. “I hope he's okay… I'm starting to get worried.”

     “Why did he run off like that?” Barbara wondered.

     “His caretaker and creator, which you _all_ know was Mr. Dark, was abusive,” Murfy said bluntly. “It's no laughing matter.”

     “Oh… I completely forgot.” Globox murmured.

     “He never really mentioned it at all… It makes me wonder if that's why he's so—so—how do I put it—distant?” Barbara asked. “I know that's a harsh term, but I always had a hunch that he wasn't really doing okay.”

     Globox frowned.

     Rayman heaved an uneasy, lurching sigh. “I want to help him.” He said earnestly.

     “Me too,” Barbara replied.

     “Me three!” Said Globox.

     “Well, we should go out and find him then!” Murfy advised.

     The group nodded affirmingly.

     “There are Teensies guarding the forest area, so Raymesis shouldn't be far,” Globox remarked. His statement eased the stress of the group.

     “We’ll divide into two groups. Barbara and I in one, you and Globox in another.” Murfy motioned his hand to Rayman.

     “We’ll go in separate directions and meet up at Rayman’s house, which is right where we are.” Barbara directed.

     “Gotcha.” Said Rayman.

     “And everyone knows their way around here, right?” Asked Murfy.

     The crew nodded.

     “Fantastic! Let's blow this joint and search for Raymesis.”

     The two groups parted their ways, delving into the deep forest in hopes of finding their friend.

 


	9. Slumber

     Raymesis was sitting atop a rock, a bag slung onto his back full of necessities. The sun was beginning to set, the pale light peeking out through the vibrant green foliage. He opened his bag and pulled out some colorful berries. He ate them ferociously, but still relished in the berries’ sour but sweet flavors. The last time he ate was yesterday morning. He inhaled the air, which smelled of fragrant wildflowers. By accident, he ingested pollen and sneezed. He laughed to himself. Although he was enjoying himself, those feelings were soon overcome with feelings of fear. He felt like something was wrong still, and felt like he had a pit in his stomach.  _ No, no, no, no, no!  _ He put the berries back in his bag, got up, and ran to find another place to stay. 

_      I just want to relax,  _ he thought, flustered.  _ God damn it, why does this happen to me?  _ While the nervous Limbless ran, he focused his eyes on the sunset. The sky was a beautiful gradient of a rich blue, cosmopolitan pink, and vanilla yellow. There were tiny, crisp specks of white in certain fragments of the sky. The stars were beginning to come out, and would soon be scattered across the upper atmosphere entirely. Yet the beautiful scenery wasn't enough to distract Raymesis. It only made him more anxious. He had to find another place to rest before the nighttime. 

     He was on the verge of passing out from exhaustion. His running reduced to a jog, then to a slow walk. He quickly pulled out his canteen full of fresh water and chugged it. His thirst was quenched and he approached a small clearing. Raymesis became more at ease, finally being able to sleep. 

     The forest was silent, and the leaves on the trees and shrubs were saying with the evening breeze. The sun finally set, and the sky was a navy blue dappled with stars. He rubbed his face with his hands and rolled onto the grass, audibly exhaling. He lifted himself up and reached for his bag, pulling out a pillow and a thin, but warm blanket. 

     The blanket was a mint green and was fairly old. It was given to him by Globox as a gift when they first met. He wrapped the blanket around his body, getting himself comfortable. He placed the soft, puffy pillow onto the low grass vertically, and wrapped his arms around it. He closed his eyes, falling asleep to nature’s lullaby of chirping crickets. 

 


	10. Nightmare

     Raymesis was now immersed in a dream. 

       _He opened his eyes, stretching his back. He heard his bones crack loudly. For some odd reason, his back hurt. Rubbing his eyes, he observed his surroundings. His mattress was low to the ground and thin. The pillow he slept on was hard as a rock. The blankets were thin and retained little to no heat. His extremities were freezing cold, with every joint aching. He was in the small, cold room he lived within Mr. Dark’s castle. He began to feel uneasy._ Why am I here? _He thought._ I need to get out. _He slowly rose from his uncomfortable bed. He walked to the door of his room and turned the knob._ Damn it. It's locked. _He began to apprehensively pace around the small living space. Unexpectedly, he was alarmed by the front door being slammed open. Mr. Dark silently emerged, his raven cape swooping behind him._

_      “Raymesis.” he said with an antagonizing smirk.  _

_      “W-what the hell do you want from me?” Raymesis curled up his hand, resisting an urge to punch.  _ I shouldn’t even be here right now. I thought I was kicked out. 

_      “You are useless! Horrible!” Mr. Dark’s voice amplified. “You will never amount to anything. You couldn’t even defeat that puny little Rayman. Even worse, you’re in _ love  _ with that bastard!”  _

_      Raymesis choked, his face flushed. Tears slowly treaded down his face.  _

_      He loved him. _

_      Mr. Dark laughed maniacally. “You can’t even defend yourself! How pathetic.” He grabbed Raymesis’ face with his hand, lifting it up, forcibly making him stare. Goosebumps ran down the Limbless’ spine.  _

_      “You are nothing but a mistake. Creating you was the worst thing I’ve ever done. Without you, I would’ve defeated Rayman!”  _

_      Raymesis couldn’t take it anymore. “I’m not like you!” He yelled, punching the authority figure in the face. Mr. Dark became stunned, and Raymesis ran out of the room. He needed to escape. Heart pounding out of his chest, he zoomed down a flight of stairs.  _

_      He heard Mr. Dark roar in anger, his voice echoing down the stairway. While running, he searched for a place to hide. He wouldn’t be able to leave the castle anytime soon. Mr. Dark surfaced behind Raymesis, chortling. Raymesis whimpered.  _ I forgot he has the power to teleport. Fuck. 

_      “This castle is a maze in the eyes of you! You haven’t even been to these locations before! You will never escape.” Mr. Dark ridiculed.  _

_      “That’s because you sheltered me! At least when you made me leave, I explored more.” Raymesis retorted, his footsteps pounding against the sleek floor. Mr. Dark teleported in front of him.  _

_      “You can’t win.”  _

_      Raymesis quickly turned around, running in the opposite direction. He saw two hallways and took the hallway on the left.  _ Don’t look back,  _ he told himself.  _ Don’t look back.  _ He stared directly down the hall, tuning out what was seen in his peripheral vision. He no longer heard an extra pair of steps and sighed a relief. Suddenly, he tripped. Air roughly squeezed out of his lungs. He fell down a large flight of stairs, his vision blurring and his hearing zoning in and out, fading into a ring. Pain struck his entire body. He landed down the stairwell, unable to get up. His body was caked in bruises, and his forehead was streaked with a bloody gash. He wheezed, attempting to breathe without causing more pain.  _

_      “Gah…” he groaned.  _

_      “I warned you.” said a voice condescendingly.  _

_      Raymesis looked up. Mr. Dark peered at him. “Tsk, tsk, tsk. You don’t know when to stop. Mr. Dark walked closer and closer.  _

_      “No...no,” Raymesis rasped, crawling backward. His body was numb and his head was spinning.  _

     “You’re done for.” 

       _“No!”_ _Raymesis screamed in pain, using all the energy he had left. His vision faded to black, his hopes of escaping now terminated._


	11. Security

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh my goodness, I apologize for the months long hiatus for this story! I’ve been sidetracked with school and writer’s block. I have Christmas break next week so hopefully I can update at least once or twice then.

     Raymesis shot up, breathing heavily, sweat drenching his body. It was the dead of night, and his body quivered in terror. He felt his face, his body swarmed with goosebumps just by his touch. It was wet, but was unsure it if it was from tears or perspiration. He hugged his pillow tightly and buried his face in it, curling up into a ball. He imagined the pillow being Rayman. He pictured Rayman running his fingers through his dark purple hair, reassuring him that he was safe and would be okay. He imagined his voice as crystal clear as he remembered. His voice brought warmth to the distressed Limbless. He confided in it. Raymesis’ quavering was soothed, but he soon began to cry softly.   
     

 _Why did I have to love you?_  
     

     In frustration, he flung the pillow aside, resting on the grass dappled with condensation. His crying continued, and he confided in the blanket. The wounds caused by Mr. Dark over a century ago have not healed. They've only become infected, with every instance Raymesis bottling up his feelings being the pus which builds up and the psychological damage being the subsequent decay.  
     “I just want to go home!” He wailed, his voice dry and cracked. “I don't want to be alone anymore.”  
     The bushes instantaneously swooshed. Raymesis froze.  
     “W-who are you?” He demanded. “Why are you here?”  
     The sounds of motion became significantly closer.  
     “No, no, no, no, _no_!” Raymesis screamed bloody murder.  
     He curled up into a fetal position, hiding his face again.  _“P-please,_ have mercy on me!” He implored.  
     A profile came into view.  
     “Raymesis!” They called out.  
Raymesis was too afraid to look. The form came closer, delicately taking a step one at a time. They kneeled soundlessly, gingerly touching the panicked Limbless on the back.  
   

 _“Are you okay?”_  
     

     Those familiar words struck Raymesis like a gong, echoing through his mind. He stretched his fingers out and made eye contact with the shadow.  
     “Rayman!” He couldn't help but to hug him securely.  
     Rayman embraced the hug, wrapping his hands around Raymesis’ waist. “...I missed you so, so much.” Raymesis croaked.  
     “I missed you too.” Rayman said in relief, puffy-eyed and lachrymose.  
     Raymesis hugged Rayman much longer than he did the day before. He didn't turn away like he did yesterday, but held on comfortably. He felt safe in his best friend’s arms (or lack of).  
     “I… I don't want to let go.” Raymesis whispered.  
     Rayman silently hugged Raymesis tighter, signaling that he didn't want to let go either. The golden-haired Limbless could barely see. His vision was impaired by his teardrops. They held one another in silence for fifteen minutes, until letting go. For Raymesis those fifteen minutes were the longest he’s ever felt at ease.  
     

 _Raymesis was in love._  
     

     “I think we should get back to Barbara and I’s house,” said Rayman.  
     “Will they be there?” Raymesis asked. Rayman nodded briskly, wiping his face.  
     “Let's go. You can spend the night at the house if you're too tired to go back to yours. You'll just have to sleep on the couch.” Rayman chuckled.  
     Raymesis gently smiled. “I don't mind. Let me put my things away first.” He picked up the blanket and pillow, placing it into his bag.  
     “Was that the blanket Globox gave you?”  
     “Yeah, it is. It's old, but it's so comfortable!” Raymesis breathed.  
     “He's still really happy you like it, you know that?” Rayman casually took Raymesis’ hand ever so gently, and led him through the intimidating brush. Raymesis blushed slightly, attempting to contain his cocktail of emotions: two parts anxiousness, one part excitement.    
     “He's so sweet. I'm glad to have him as a friend.”  
     Rayman nodded in agreement. “Do you have anything that Barbara has given you?”  
     “Yeah!” Raymesis said in a content but exhausted manner. It was very obvious that Raymesis was emotionally drained.   
     “She gave me one of her old helmets. It was when we first became friends. It's riddled with scratches and nicks, but I don't care. I left it at my house, though…” his voice trailed off.  
     “Huh? What's wrong?” asked Rayman. Raymesis was silent.  
     “Do you want to talk about it?” Rayman queried, placing his hand on his companion’s back.   
     Raymesis nodded.  
     “Living in my house makes me feel extremely unhappy. I feel lonely in there.” Raymesis began.  
     “I hate being lonely because the only things I have are my thoughts. I can't talk to anyone! I mean, I can just go up and hang out with you and the others, but sometimes I just want someone to be there with me, talking. Sometimes I enjoy the aloneness, usually after spending time with you, Barbara, and Globox. Most of the time, it's just loneliness.”  
     Rayman had a sullen look on his face. “I'm so sorry…”  
     There was silence among the two trotting Limblesses.  
      _I need to tell him how I feel about him,_  Raymesis contemplated. _Wait. Not now. It isn’t the right time. I’m already an emotional wreck as is,_ He reconsidered. He heaved a sigh.  
     “Rayman, can I talk to you about something? It's kind of important.”  
     “Absolutely. What's on your mind?”  
     “Well… to put it bluntly, my mental health is in the shitter. It has been for _years._ As you may know, Mr. Dark was my parental figure. My dad. I never really brought it up, but he abused me for the whole time I was living with him.”  
     Rayman was silent.  
     “Murfy said that to Barbara, Globox, and I. He didn't mention anything else, I promise.” said Rayman nervously.  
     “It's okay. I never went to anyone or opened up to anyone about it because I felt like I would be a burden. I found a healthy way to cope when I lived with Mr. Dark, but venting to myself just wasn't enough. I became destructive and punched things. I know that's an unhealthy coping mechanism. I'm trying.”  
     Rayman listened intensely.  
     “And… I did paint, which helped me cope. But it reminded me too much of _him.”_ Raymesis lied.  
     “He hurt you so much.” Rayman said, breaking his silence.  
     Raymesis heard him sniffle.  
     “I don't know if you want to go into detail about what he did, but that's okay. I know how much abuse can affect somebody. It's only been a century, but you're still hurt. You have every reason to be. Healing and recovering from shit like that can take ages. But you have people here for you, who love you and care about you. I promise.”  
     Raymesis squeezed Rayman’s hand.  
     “I was raised to believe love and friendships were bad. Even though I've known you and the others for such a long time, I've always felt distant. Like there's a wall between me and you. And when I try to be a bit closer with my friends, I just flick my figurative hand away.  
    

_I need help, Rayman.”_  
     

     “I know you do. We want to help you.”  
     “...Really?” said Raymesis in disbelief.  
     “Of course. I mean, why wouldn't we?”  
     Raymesis was flabbergasted, tongue-tied. All he could do was hug Rayman again. “You don’t know how thankful I am to have you in my life.” Raymesis murmured into Rayman’s ear.  


_“I feel the same way, Raymesis.”_


	12. Homecoming

     “...do you think that Rayman even found him?” Globox whispered nervously. Murfy began to frantically fly in circles, his wings making a light, fluttering noise.  
     “I don’t know,” said the greenbottle.  
     “but wherever they are, I hope they’re okay. And most importantly I hope Ray found Raymesis.” Barbara, who was anxiously tapping her foot on the leaf dappled ground, bobbed her head accordingly. The group originally intended on finding Raymesis together in a divide and conquer effort but soon realized that it would’ve been better if Rayman found Raymesis by himself due to their extremely close friendship. The air was tense and frigid as Raymesis and Rayman’s friends were waiting for their return. The vegetation was motionless and empty and the lack of wind made the familiar residence they stood in front of foreboding.  
     Globox was abnormally quiet. Dazed and sleep deprived he emptily stared at his webbed feet. Barbara frowned. She placed her hand on the Glute’s shoulder.  
     “I know how the disappearance of Raymesis is troubling you, Globox. The only thing we can do is to wait it out and to remain optimistic. It’s… what Rayman would’ve wanted us to do if he stood back instead.” the warrior said with empathy in her tone. Globox slowly turned his head to his friend. He was on the verge of tears.

     “What if Raymesis… _is_ _dead?”_ he squeaked.

     The magnitude of Globox’s statement caused Murfy to cease flight. He fell to the floor with a light thud and groaned in shock and pain. On the other hand, Barbara‘s mouth widened, her eyes alert and awake. She shook her head and soon regained composure.  
     Globox started to weep.  
     “Shh, it’s okay Globox,” she consoled. “Raymesis is alive and Rayman is going to find him, I promise.” He made eye contact with the redhead.  
     “You really think so?” he responded with a sliver of hope.  
     “I know so!” she jumped up enthusiastically. “This is Rayman we’re talking about! He’s a hero and he’s our friend. He always gets out of the stickiest of situations and brings the best out of everyone.”  
     “You’re right!” Globox’s feelings of grief and fear were replaced with hope and cheerfulness.  
     “I mean, look how long Rayman’s taking! I’m sure he’s found Raymesis already and are on their way back.” Murfy contributed to the conversation, his voice muffled.  
     Barbara and Globox searched to find the source of Murfy’s voice. The insect was on the floor face down, not budging a single bit.  
     “Murfy, why aren’t you up?” Barbara asked, puzzled.  
     “Too tired. Must… sleep.” he yawned.  
     “Well, too bad. You can’t sleep! We have to wait for Rayman and Raymesis to return no matter how long it takes.” Barbara responded sternly.  
     “Damn it!” Murfy swore.  
     A minute later she was unexpectedly taken aback by the sound of rustling bushes.  
     “What was that?” she hissed underneath her breath, now crouched in a defensive position. She reached for her axe, her grasp on the handle as firm as possible.  
     “What was _what?”_ Murfy shot up into the air so fast he was a mere blur. The whooshing sound of the plants grew closer.  
      _“Raymaaaaaaan! Raymesiiiiiis!”_ Globox called out aimlessly, his palmate appendages cupped around his mouth, amplifying his voice.  
     Two silhouettes emerged behind the plant life. Globox leaned forward in interest as Murfy and Barbara covered their mouths in astonishment. The figures moved forward, revealing themselves.

     In front of Globox, Murfy, and Barbara were Rayman and Raymesis with light smiles of satisfaction on their faces, their hands behind each other’s backs.

     “Rayman! Raymesis! You’re safe!” Unable to contain his excitement, Globox bustled to his friends, nearly tackling them as he smothered them with a giant hug.  
     “Of course I’m safe!” Rayman chuckled lightly.  
     “I’m really happy to see you, Globox! You give the best hugs,” Raymesis said happily, though wincing slightly. “even if sometimes your grip can be a bit too tight.”  
     Globox giggled nervously. “Haha, sorry about that.”  
     “Don’t think much of it.” Raymesis grinned.  
     Globox let go of his two Limbless friends and took a step back.  
     “Barbara!” Rayman called out.  
     “Murfy!” Raymesis followed. They ran to their other companions excitedly.  
     “See? I told you Rayman and Raymesis were okay!” Barbara jeered. She gave Rayman a high five followed by giving Raymesis a playful nuggie.  
     He yelped in laughter. “It’s great to see you too, Barbara.”  
     “Now that the gang’s all here, I have an important question to ask you,” Murfy motioned his hand to Raymesis, who was standing close to Rayman’s side.

  _“Why did you make a run for it?”_

     “I’ve reached my breaking point. I’ve kept my feelings and memories of being abused by Mr. Dark bottled up in my shitty brain for too long. The house I lived in only made me feel like absolute garbage because I was alone and could only think about what he did to me. So I tried to run away.”  
     A feeling of guilt began to rise in his belly. _I can’t tell them the genuine reason why I ran away,_ he yelled to himself. _Not anytime soon._  
     His voice began to tremble. “I–I felt even worse when I was out alone in the forest depths. I felt isolated.” Rayman gazed at Raymesis, a spark of sympathy in his eyes. Barbara, Globox, and Murfy nodded, signaling that they, too, were listening.  
     “When Rayman found me I realized that running away from my problems wasn’t the right thing to do. I realized that I needed professional help. Especially because dealing with psychological trauma for over a century by yourself isn’t a good time, nor is it a healthy thing to do.”  
     “Raymesis, what preventing you from reaching out?” Barbara questioned.  
     “I was petrified to ask for help. I thought I would’ve been a burden if I did ask for help. I know that you would all be supportive and help me if I did ask, but there was a thought in the back of my mind that said ‘No, don’t do it. You can deal with this yourself.’” he paused, sucking in a breath.

     “But I was wrong. So very wrong.”

     Globox began to sob. “I wish Mr. Dark never hurt you.” his voice warbled. “And even though he’s gone for good, he still torments you.”  
     “...That’s right.” said Raymesis. Globox’s observation was quite tacit to the other listeners. Raymesis noticed Barbara was crying silently. She wiped a tear with a quick swipe of her palm.  
     “Raymesis,” Murfy wheeled up to him. “Thank you for telling us how you feel.”  
     “We love you and we all know that you’re strong enough to get through this.” Barbara approached Raymesis and hugged him securely.  
     “Yeah! We’re here for you!” Globox boomed.  
     “No, thank _you_ for listening to me. One out of the dozens of weights that are piled atop my shoulders are now gone.” the Limbless replied, his voice less strained, less distressed. He felt the back of a hand lightly tap his shoulder and turned around.  
     “Rayman!” his eyes immediately lit up, his cheeks a vague hue of pink.  
     “I’m proud of you, Raymesis.” The strawberry blond said warmly. “And if I haven’t said it already, you are not alone on your long and winding road to recovery. Globox, Barbara, Murfy, and I will make sure you get the help you urgently need.”  
     “Th-thanks.” Raymesis stuttered, awkwardly scratching the back of his head.  
     “Murfy and I are gonna head back to our places since it’s almost sunrise, but before I go I have some good news: There’s a therapist at the Big Beanstalk that you can talk to!” Murfy announced animatedly.  
     “They’re fantastic too! They helped me find healthy coping mechanisms for my anxiety when I first became a parent.” Globox added.  
     “There is? That’s fantastic news! Holy shit, that’s so close by that I could stop by and hang out with you guys after the sessions.” Raymesis uttered jovially. “...But wouldn’t I have to pay for it?”  
     “Of course not! Mental health services and healthcare in general are free in the Glade of Dreams.” Globox replied.  
     “Oooooohhhh! Makes sense.” Raymesis answered, enlightened.  
     The greenbottle and Glute began to walk in opposite directions—one back to their lush hut, the other back to see their loving wife and children.  
     “Bye Raymesis!” They said in unison.  
     “I believe in you!” Murfy’s voice echoed.  
     “We’ve got your back!” Globox’s voice faded.  
     “Sleep well!” Barbara, Rayman, and Raymesis called out.  
     Rayman suddenly clasped his hands together. “I have some good news too: Barbara and I tidied up the extra room earlier than planned, so you can move in now!” he voiced ebulliently.  
     Raymesis’ was in such astonishment that he took a large step back.  
     “You’re kidding. There’s no way in _hell_ you did all that cleaning in just a few hours!” he moved his hands up to the sides of his head, his hair prodding through the interdigital folds.  
     “How much free time did you have on your hands two evenings ago?”  
     Barbara, attempting to hold in her laughter, responded with “Long story short: we were overcaffeinated and needed something to do before we crashed,” while Rayman began to holler so loud that a flock of snoozing birds startlingly fled, causing a commotion in the canopy.  
     Raymesis chortled heartily. “On one hand I’m surprised, yet on the other hand ‘tidying up an extremely cluttered room after a large intake of caffeine’ is something that you and Barbara would definitely do.”  
     Negative feelings unexpectedly hit Raymesis like a bus. He realized that he would have to go back to his house to retrieve the helmet Barbara gave him, the only item at his dreaded house (aside from the blanket and pillow) that reminded him of sweet memories. He made sure to not express his discomfort.  
     “You don’t even have to worry about going back to your house either.” Barbara said comfortingly, aware of Raymesis’ sullen demeanor.  
     “But the keepsake helmet you gave me, what about that?” He started at his shoes awkwardly.  
     “I have another one I can give you, don’t worry about it. This one’ll have even more dents and nicks, and is older than the original one I gave you!”  
     “Thanks, Barbara.” Raymesis’ sudden drop in his mood was now stabilized. He yawned loudly, his body and mind drained of energy.  
     “I think we should head off to bed right now,” Rayman said, rubbing his eyes. “I’m about to collapse.”  
     Raymesis and Barbara nodded in agreement.  
     “Let’s go.” The amber-eyed Limbless said determinedly.  
     The triad slowly walked toward the entrance of the vast, roomy treehouse. Rayman and Barbara entered consecutively and headed to their rooms to change into sleepwear and get some shut-eye. Before Raymesis entered the home, he turned around.  
     The sun was beginning to rise. The sky was like a divine painting: a gradient of a deep, yet subdued purple which faded into a fiery rose red, to a soft peach pink, and finally an airy cream. The sun was a bright, burning ball of light with a creamsicle orange surrounding it, blending into the sky seamlessly but also standing out as the focal point. Raymesis stared at it admirably and felt his heart soar. The landscape made him feel genial and full of affection. A singular tear dropped from his eye, not out of fear or dejection, but out of the realization that for first time in his entire life he experienced inner peace. He observed the ethereal sky more intensely and abruptly gasped.

     There were two stars in the sky next to one another, close together to be part of a constellation but not close enough to clash and cease to exist.

     With tears pouring down his face, he slowly reached for his bag and retrieved his pillow. He cradled it gently and held it close to his chest as he sat down to watch the sunrise a bit longer. He cuddled the pillow for approximately ten minutes until he picked himself up to go sleep in his new room in his new home. Carrying the pillow in one hand he turned the doorknob to the treehouse. He took a quiet step. And then another. The door creaked shut behind him as he took his first steps of the beginning of his new life.


	13. Breakfast Conversations

     Raymesis slept peacefully, albeit sleeping in until half past noon. He woke up with his blanket concealing his sweat covered face.The purple-haired Limbless’ pillow was damp with drool. He swatted the blanket off of himself and felt the humid air almost condense on his face and hands. He heard the vague shuffling of bowls and utensils from downstairs. The hatched door on the floor was ajar, and the scent of smoked meat filled the air. _Breakfast?_ he thought. His stomach rumbled.   
     “Is that bacon I smell?” He cupped a hand around his mouth.   
There were loud footsteps that drew closer. Barbara poked her head out of the door soon after.   
     “Well look who decided to wake up!” She roared excitedly. Instead of wearing her adventure garb she wore mint green pajama shorts with a matching shirt.   
     “I haven’t slept this well in _ages,”_ he emphasized.  
     “Let’s hope your sleeping habits are a lot better now. C’mon down, Rayman and I made uh… breakfast? Brunch?” The girl shrugged.  
     “Whatever. We made some food, come and have some.”  
Raymesis nodded.   
     “Alright.”   
Barbara left the hatch on the door open all the way as she hurried along back to the dining area, helping herself to some grub. Raymesis briskly followed, breezing down the steep staircase and to an empty seat at the dining table.   
     “Mornin,’ Raymesis!” Rayman called out. He was finishing up frying the last few pieces of bacon and a couple of eggs on a fry pan. He wore a pink sleeping gown that was baggy and loose on the short sleeves along with velvet-lined slippers. He had a wide grin on his face, visibly happy to have Raymesis as his housemate.   
     Raymesis felt his cheeks grow hot, his mouth slightly agape. He never saw Rayman this comfortable, or at least wear such a comfortable outfit. The pastel pink nightgown made him look delicate and ethereal. Smitten, Raymesis placed his hand on his chin, daydreaming about waking up in the morning beside Rayman, wearing the same pink gown he wore at that very moment. He fantasized about the early morning sun peaking through the canopy that cradled the treehouse, warming his face as he embraced Rayman before they got up and started their day.   
     “How did you sleep?” Rayman’s voice broke Raymesis out of his daydream.   
Raymesis gazed at Rayman, confused. He blinked.   
     “Uh… I…” He twiddled his thumbs.   
     “Don’t worry. I understand how new this is to you, moving in and all.” The orange-haired Limbless said understandingly.   
     “I–I slept well! A lot better than usual. Thank you for asking.” Raymesis answered quickly.   
     “Are you gonna eat your eggs and bacon?”  
     “Huh?” Raymesis uttered, confused. He looked down and saw a plate of eggs and two slices of bacon, presented in the shape of a smiley face.   
     “Wouldn’t want it to get cold.” Rayman chuckled.   
     “...Right.” Raymesis couldn’t help but stare at his breakfast wonder-strickenly. Rayman made breakfast for _him!_ Although Raymesis had known Rayman for years his acts of kindness still came as a surprise. It was hard for him to prices that someone cared about him and genuinely meant it. He felt his eyes water. The plate of food made him happy and feel strangely nostalgic.   
     “You alright? You’ve been staring at your plate for like, two minutes already.” Barbara blinked, her mouth full of toast and eggs. She waved her hand across Raymesis’ face.   
     “Earth to Raymesis!”  
Raymesis shook his head. “Oh–sorry. I was in a daze.” He picked up a fork and began to chow down on fried eggs and seared bacon.   
Rayman pulled out a chair opposite of where Raymesis was sitting: at the edge of the table.  
     “I’m guessing you hate the food,” Rayman uttered in a sarcastic tone.   
     “Trust me, living off of only wild berries for a day isn’t fun.” Raymesis replied.   
Rayman nodded. “You’re right. You really had me worried for a minute,” He had a forlorn look on his face.   
     “Hey, at least you’re out of that house.” Barbara tried to lighten up the mood.   
     “Yeah, but that doesn’t mean all of my unresolved mental issues are completely gone, y’know?” Raymesis shoved another forkful of eggs down.  
Barbara nodded.   
     “Speaking of mental issues, I have some good news.” Rayman said, his voice more relaxed.

     “Barbara and I will be taking you to the therapist’s office in the Big Beanstalk after breakfast!”

     “Xir really good! Or at least what Globox said about xem,” Barbara contributed.   
     “Really? That’s fantastic!” Raymesis’ eyes lit up. “I’m a bit nervous though… I’ve never been to a therapist before…” he murmured.   
     “There’s nothing to be afraid of, don’t worry.Globox has said xir really nice and incredibly helpful! Xe specializes in topics such as gender identity, sexuality, anxiety disorders, post traumatic stress disorders, abuse, and many other things.” Rayman said  
     “You’ll have to make an appointment, but while we wait we can walk around the town where the therapist’s office is! There’s a bunch of food and beverage stands we can chill out at.” Barbara continued.   
     “And we’ll wait in the waiting area during your session, of course. This is a very big step in your life and we’re here for you.” Emphasized the soft-hearted Limbless.   
     “Thank you. Your words put me at ease.” Raymesis sighed contentedly. He emptied the small amount of food left on his plate into a trashcan and made his way to the kitchen sink. He twisted the sink handle and waited for the spigot to pour out warm water. He nabbed the kitchen sponge, wet it, and poured dish soap directly on it. “Before we go, can I take a shower and wash my clothes? I brought a few outfits in my bag but the one I’m wearing right now needs to be washed.” he asked as he scrubbed his plate and utensil.   
     “Sure thing! The bathroom’s over there,” Barbara pointed to a door underneath the staircase.  
     “Since we don’t have a washing machine we wash our clothes by hand and then we hang them up to dry. Just put your dirty clothes in the hamper—which is in the bathroom—and I’ll wash it for you.”   
     “Thanks, Barbara.” said Raymesis as he propped the clean dishes onto the dish rack. He dried his hands with a towel and speedily ran up the stairs, retrieving a change of clothes. In the blink of an eye, he traversed down the steps and entered the bathroom. A minute later, he creaked open the door, placing the hamper with his dirty clothing out for Barbara to retrieve.  
     “He’s really excited to go!” Rayman exclaimed.   
     “I’m glad he is. The most we could do is take him to a therapist so he could talk about his problems, no?” Barbara replied as she carried the hamper to the washroom.   
     “Mhm,” Rayman answered, diverging in the opposite direction.

     “Absolutely.”

  
     

 


End file.
